The Bible - Eagle Christian Churcheaglechristianchurch.com/sermon_files/2018-04-08/sermon.pdfApr 08, 2018  · were exaggerated or false. _—Colin J. Hemer The Accuracy of the Bible

The Bible:A Road Map for Life

2 Timothy 3:16-17

“A Road Map for Life”

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (ESV)

2 Timothy 3:16-17

M.A.P.S.Manuscripts

How good are the

modern copies we have?

Other Works of Ancient Literature

•Ten or more–Homer (643)

• 2nd most copied

–Tacitus (20)• Greatest of all Roman

historians

–Caesar (10)

•Less than 10–Plato –Pliny (the Younger) –Herodotus –Sophocles–Demosthenes –Aristotle –Thucydides

Total = Less than 700

“A Road Map for Life”

• Ancient Greek manuscripts 5,686• Ancient Latin manuscripts 10,000• Coptic, Ethiopic, Syriac 9,000

Total = 24,686

Biblical Evidence

And growing!

“A Road Map for Life”

Variations

• Various manuscripts are 99.5% identical.

• The majority of variations include spelling, punctuation, and division of text.

• No major doctrinal issue can be brought into question.

Codex Sinaiticus

One of the earliest complete manuscripts of the whole

Bible which dates to the early 4th century (A.D. 330-340)

“A Road Map for Life”

• Manuscript evidence

• Eyewitness accounts

– Luke: “I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning.” (Lk 1:3)

– Peter: “We did not follow cleverly devised myths … but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.” (2 Pet 1:16)

The Reliability of Scripture

“A Road Map for Life”

The Reliability of Scripture

• Manuscript evidence• Eyewitness accounts• Early Church leaders

– Irenaeus, Tertullian, Polycarp, Julius Africanus, Origen, Clement of Rome

“A Road Map for Life”

The Reliability of Scripture

• Manuscript evidence• Eyewitness accounts• Early Church leaders• Secular historians

– Josephus (A.D. 100), Suetonius (A.D. 110), Pliny the Younger (A.D. 110), Tacitus (A.D. 120)

M.A.P.S.Archaeology

Is there real evidence

that uncovers the

validity of the Bible?

Examples

Abraham & David, City Gates at Dan

Examples

• Luke/Acts

The inscription of

Pontius Pilate at

the theater in

Caesarea

Examples• The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The empty tomb at Gordon’s Calvary

“A Road Map for Life”

• “It is the most well-attested fact of ancient history.” —Dr. Simon Greenleaf

The Resurrection

“A Road Map for Life”

• “With the Bible … you have impeccable history, which has been proven right in hundreds of details and never proven wrong, and it is written within one generation while eye-witnesses were still alive and could have disputed it if it were exaggerated or false.”—Colin J. Hemer

The Accuracy of the Bible

“A Road Map for Life”

The Accuracy of the Bible

• “The confirmation of its history [the

Bible] is overwhelming, and any attempt to reject its basic historicity must now appear absurd.” —A.N. Sherwin-White

“A Road Map for Life”

The Accuracy of the Bible

• “Critics of the New Testament are ‘pre-archaeological’ and their views are ‘quite antiquated.’” —William F. Albright

M.A.P.S.Prophecy

“How should we

understand the predictive

nature of the Bible?”

“A Road Map for Life”

Qumran & The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Isaiah Scroll

“A Road Map for Life”

Septuagint (LXX)

“A Road Map for Life”

Bible Prophecy about Jesus• Genesis—a descendant of Abraham, born of

a virgin

• Micah—born in Bethlehem

• Isaiah—crucified between criminals, buried with the rich

• Psalms—hands and feet would be pierced, soldiers would gamble for clothes

• Zechariah—bones would not be broken

“A Road Map for Life”

Bible Prophecy

• Predictive prophecy is a principle of Bible reliability and is so convincing that it is capable of reaching and convincing even the hard-boiled skeptic, if they will only do the research and the investigation.

M.A.P.S.Statistics

“Is it statistically possible

to explain this by

human effort?”

“A Road Map for Life”

The Writing of the Bible

• Written over a span of 1,600 years, by some forty authors, most who had never met, using three languages, on separate continents, covering hundreds of subjects—and yet there is one consistent, non-contradictory theme.

“A Road Map for Life”

The Death of the Disciples

• All of the disciples (with the exception of John)

died as martyrs for their faith—each having the opportunity to deny their faith.

“A Road Map for Life”

M.A.P.S.

• Manuscripts, archaeology, prophecy and statistics not only chart a secure course through the turnpikes of skepticism, but demonstrate that the Bible is divine in origin.

“A Road Map for Life”

1 Peter 3:15

“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (ESV)

The Bible:A Road Map for Life

“Will you let it determine

the course of your life?”

Next Steps: